Just a few points that you may or may not find interesting. Our son is 2 1/2 and is pretty smart as well... all his shapes and colors, many opposites as you mentioned, putting together simple sentences, counting to 10. TotalMILF and I have definitely already started thinking about pre-school and Kindergarten and we are hoping to get him INTO K early rather than the other way around. He loves socializing, so that's a big part of it, but if you find the right program it can be really helpful.
A lot of people are saying "let him be a kid another year"... well, school is part of being a kid. I was a "gifted" kid growing up and my scholastic situation was pretty much my downfall. In elementary school I was selected for the "TAG" (talented and gifted) program. One day each week kids of different age levels from all the elementary schools (K-6) were sent to another school and we took elective classes (much like high school is for most people). It was AWESOME. I took computer and programming classes, geometry, advanced history, future problem solving. I LOVED school and it always offered a challenge. Then Jr. High (7-8) started. It was a DISASTER. I'd already learned the vast majority of math and science that honors classes offered. They were not accommodating to those of us who had already been in advanced K-6 programs and most of us became intensely bored. High school continued that problem. By the end of 9th grade, the school didn't have much left to teach that wasn't just rounding out details from knowledge we already had. How could a school district with such a GREAT K-6 advanced program suffer so badly 7-12?
At any rate, the moral of the story is not to prevent your child from gleaning everything they can from education, but rather to make sure they are in a situation to really LEARN from Pre-K through 12th grade and beyond. Look at the local public and private schools. Look at extra-school activities. Your kid is smart for 4... don't you want him to be smart for 8? smart for 15? There is a point kids can become stagnant and go from "smart for 8" to "average for 15". Intelligence is one of the few things that stand out in today's society of "equality"... it's worth it to nurture.
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Originally Posted by goodmama
Many people send their children to Preschool/pre- K because everyone else is doing it and they don't want to be different!!! This is exactly what we don't want to teach our kids. I did not send my son to Pre K because I didn't feel he needed it. We have always done play groups for "socialization" and he was by far more advanced academically when he went to Kindergarten. Kindergarten is there to allow the child to learn about structure and discipline. Let you children be children for an extra year. And if the real reason for sending your kid to "pre-K" is to give you some time away from him/her, just say that!!
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*shrug* To each their own I suppose. Around here, lots of people do NOT sent their kids to preschool. I think it's a bit obtuse to assume someone sending their kids to school early is to get some "time away from" them. I love having my son at home. However, I know HE loves his time at school. He goes to a "Early Childhood Development" program at Oakland University where my wife is a student. It's basically daycare (where he'd be anyway) with a massive educational edge. If he loves it so much, I think it's extra great. If he HATED it, maybe we'd find something else. Maybe not everyone can be stay-at-home parents? I dunno... I'm a bit confused at your point.
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Originally Posted by Bear Cub
My girlfriend in PA just informed me yesterday, that children need to take an aptitude test just to get into kindergarten now. They needed to know the alphabet, count/recognize certain numbers, shapes/colors, and the ability to write their own name was also a requirement.
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I think that's fantastic. Far too many parents shirk their duties of parenting. I've seen/heard a lot of "oh, but he's just two... why should he know colors?", "oh, she's only four, why should she be able to count to ten?"... Seriously? Seriously! Parents (n.) need to parent (v.) their children and teach them. It's pretty much the primary purpose of being a parent!